Practical information
Travel to San Sebastian-Donostia
The city of San Sebastian-Donostia is easy to get to by car, train, plane or coach. Good roads and motorways exist and a railway line providing an international connection to the French high-speed train network (TGV). In addition to San Sebastian's airport which mainly serves national flights, two larger airports are located in less than an hour driving distance from San Sebastian-Donostia: Bilbao Airport and Biarritz Airport. Biarritz Airport is located just over the border in France.
Airports
- BILBAO - International Airport (distance - 100 km)
Flights to: Amsterdam, Brussels, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Lisbon, London, Manchester, Munich, Paris, Rome / A Coruña, Alicante, Barcelona, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Madrid, Málaga, Menorca, Palma de Mallorca, Santiago de Compostela, Sevilla, Tenerife Valencia, Vigo. - SAN SEBASTIAN - National Airport (distance - 20 km)
Flights to: Barcelona, Madrid. - BIARRITZ - International Airport (distance - 40 km)
Flights to Brussels, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Dublin, Geneva, Lille, London, Lyon, Nice, Oslo, Paris, Stockholm, Strasbourg.
Travel to/from Airports
Bilbao Airport to San Sebastian- Donostia
The airport bus leaves every hour to San Sebastian-Donostia. The bus stop for San Sebastian-Donostia is located right outside the airport arrivals doors where you normally exit the airport. The price of a one-way ticket is around 18 Euros and it takes around an hour and 10 minutes to San Sebastian-Donostia.
The bus drops you at the Central Coach Station in San Sebastian-Donostia which is less than a 10 minute car ride to the Aranzazu Hotel or the University's Halls of Residence. A ten minute taxi ride costs approximately 8 Euros.
From the Coach Station you can also take the city bus number 27 in direction 'Unibertsitatea' (instead of a taxi). The bus journey should take between 15 to 20 minutes. Please be aware that this bus travels two different routes: one goes to 'Larratxo III' and the other goes to 'Unibertsitatea'. Be sure to take the bus with the 'Unibertsitatea' destination (check on the front of the bus). You will need to cross the road to the other side of the roundabout (where the coach station is situated) in order to catch the Number 27 bus. Get off the bus at the stop 'Antiguoko Anbulatoria'. Both the 'NH Aranzazu Hotel' and the University Halls of Residence are within walking distance from this bus stop. A single bus journey costs around 1.80 Euros per person, so if you happen to be travelling in the company of two or more persons, the taxi may be a good option.
Arriving Hondarribia (EAS airport or Donostia Airport)
On arrival at the airport you can catch a bus taking you directly to the San Sebastian-Donostia Central Coach Station in approximately 20 minutes (same transfer instructions as from Bilbao airport once you have arrived at the coach station). It s worth mentioning that Hondarribia Airport is quite small; it is expensive and only serves flights to and from Barcelona and Madrid.
Arriving Biarritz (France)
Another option is to fly to Biarritz Airport (France). This is a popular option as a couple of low-cost airlines fly in and out of Biarritz. However, from Biarritz Airport you need a combination of taxis and French and Basque trains in order to get to your destination San Sebastian-Donostia. Firstly, you need a taxi from Biarritz Airport to Biarritz Train Station from where you can catch a train to 'Hendaye'. From Hendaye train station you can take the local train (called the 'Topo' or 'Euskotren') - the Euskotren station is right next to Hendaye train station. The train journey from Hendaye to 'Amara train station – San Sebastian-Donostia' takes around 30 minutes. From Amara train station you can walk to 'Pio XII' (there is also a taxi stand) and catch Bus Numbers 24 or 27 to the Hotel or the University Halls of Residence.
Alternatively the PESA Coach Company runs coaches from the Airport or Biarritz town centre to San Sebastián-Donostia. A one-way ticket costs around 7 Euros. For details of prices and timetables, please consult the PESA website (tickets can be purchased directly on the bus).
General Information
Previous visitors to our city have suggested the most convenient way to arrive is to fly to Bilbao and then take the bus to San Sebastian-Donostia followed by a cab to the accommodation of your choice. This option costs around 20 Euros from the airport to your hotel or alternative accommodation. You could alternatively get a taxi directly from Bilbao Airport. However, be aware, that this option will cost around 110 Euros taxi fare. We do not recommend this option unless you arrive late at night and no buses are available anymore. A word of caution here too: the last coach departs from Bilbao Airport at approximately 22:30 h.